Candy waited for Juliet to go to bed before she started making her phone calls. The house was dimly lit, and Candy sat at the kitchen table with her personal address book open in front of her, a tumbler of scotch on the rocks resting beside it. It was after 8 p.m. when she dialed her brother Mark. Within five minutes, the yelling began. Juliet couldn’t hear exactly what they were arguing about, but it was always the same topic; her brothers telling her to slow down with the drinking. The pattern never seemed to change, and neither did the tension in her voice.
“Well, let me tell you something buddy! I float my own boat. You don’t tell me how to run my life!”
Juliet pulled the covers over her head and hoped the screaming would stop soon. But there was something more at play beneath the surface. Candy’s erratic behavior wasn’t just about alcohol. She had moments of delusion, bouts of anxiety, and racing thoughts that never seemed to stop. She would overspend on luxury items she couldn’t afford, drive recklessly, and twitch nervously, as if her mind were always running too fast for her body to keep up. The alcohol was Candy’s medication, numbing the anxiety and pain, slowing the constant chatter in her head.
Juliet remembered how a couple of years earlier, when she was about ten, Candy began telling Juliet that she wanted God to take her to heaven. It was just a few years after Juliet’s grandfather Patrick, had died. Candy had been very close to him, and his loss hit her hard. At the same time, Candy was embroiled in a messy divorce from Juliet’s father, while also trying to care for her own mother, who had dementia. More recently, Cany seemed to be getting worse.
Candy lay on the couch with a glass of scotch in her hand. She called Juliet over and told her to sit beside her.
“I died and went to heaven,” she said, her voice soft but serious. “I saw your grandfather. He told me I had to come back to take care of you.”
It felt surreal to Juliet. She didn’t fully understand, but the sadness in Candy’s eyes was undeniable. It seemed clear to Juliet that Candy wanted to be in heaven instead of staying “ here” to care for Juliet. “Mom, you need help “ Juliet pleaded. “I’m very worried about you.“ Juliet did not know what to do.
“I’ll be fine.” Candy laid back. “Just let me get some rest.“ Candy rested her forearm across her forehead like an old movie star in distress. Her ivory skin looked smooth and dewy against her jet-black hair. Elvis’s Love Me Tender played softly from the 8-track player.
“This used to be our song.” Candy whispered, closing her eyes.
A few weeks later, Candy sank into another dark mood and asked Juliet to call her old friend Christopher Mahoney. “Tell him I’m dying,” she said, laying on the long olive-green sofa. Juliet walked to the old black rotary phone in the kitchen, dragging over a chair to reach the high-mounted receiver. She dialed Chris’s number and said, “My mom says she’s dying, and you need to come over.”
His response was blunt. “Call your uncle Brian or your father.”
Juliet dialed again, this time her father. “Dad, Mom says she’s dying. You have to come now.”
He sighed. “Call your uncle Brian. He’s closer. It will take me over an hour to get there.”
Juliet made the third call.
Uncle Brian came through, as he always did. Within twenty minutes, he arrived with his wife. Juliet was crying in the den. Her aunt stayed with her, comforting her, while Uncle Brian spoke with Candy and convinced her to check into a mental hospital for a few days. “Let me take you to the hospital Candy. They can help you. You will get rest there.”
Candy got off the couch, put in her coat, and mumbled “ just for a few days.” Uncle Brian escorted her to the car and drove her to Jackson.
Juliet stayed with Uncle Brian and his wife while her mother was hospitalized. She prayed Candy would stay long enough to get real help. But Candy came home after five days; her friend Ed had picked her up. When Juliet told her she should have stayed longer, Candy shrugged it off. “I’ll be fine, Juliet.”
Juliet’s father kept asking Juliet about Candy and didn’t like the response he was getting. “She’s acting weird Dad. Maybe you could talk to her?“ “Juliet asked. “ I’m coming to pick you up for the weekend. I’ll take care of it.” Her father said.
Larry knocked on the front door and Candy yelled. “Come in!” He opened the door and Juliet could see her father from the living room as he entered the foyer wearing his typical work uniform, khaki pants, and a blue Polo shirt. “Hellooo, he said drawing out the “O.” Is Juliet here?” Candy stood up.
“Hello Larry! Come inside and sit down.” Larry wiped his feet in the welcome mat and took off his sperrys. He stepped onto the gold carpet and made his way around the coffee table and sat on the olive-green sofa. His feet nestled into the shag rug. Candy walked to the other side of the sofa and made a clucking noise which she made when she was nervous by putting her tongue on the roof of her mouth. “cluck, cluck, cluck.“ Candy sat down on the edge of the same sofa but let her long legs stick out straight so as not to split the tight white pencil skirt she was wearing. “How’s Betty?” Candy asked her former husband. “Is everything ok? ” Larry became agitated and started fidgeting with the coasters on the coffee table . “Fine. Yes.” He said. He opened the small drawer on the front of the coffee table and all three of them could see the bud of marijuana and the small pipe and rolling paper and BIC lighter lying there. Carol tried to slam the door shut and Larry let out a grunt but kept it open with his fist.
“What the hell are you doing, Candy?” He yelled.
“Oh. That belongs to my friend Ed.” She said.
“Your screwing up.” He said loudly.
“I’m taking you to court.” Candy. “And I’m taking Jule with me now.”
“You will bring her back here on Sunday night as agreed.” Candy said.
“Juliet let’s go! Larry grabbed her hand. “ Get your bag!” Juliet grabbed her small, packed bag and walked out of the house with her father.
“I will see you Sunday!” Candy yelled.
That year was one of the rockiest for Juliet. Candy broke the lease on the one-bedroom garden apartment she shared with Juliet and moved them into a much larger one a few miles away. A rent they couldn’t afford. Juliet could walk to school, but it was hard to focus when she came home to find Candy passed out drunk on the couch. Other nights, Juliet woke to the sound of Candy’s car revving in the driveway. At two in the morning, she’d be gone, speeding off on late-night joyrides, drunk and reckless. Men came over for dinner often. Candy fought with Juliet’s father over the phone frequently. Once, amid all the chaos, Juliet accidentally caused a fire in the apartment. Thankfully, she managed to put it out before it spread.
It wasn’t long before Candy and Juliet were being evicted. Larry fought for custody and the judge in the custody case recommended Juliet stay with a neutral party. Her father asked Uncle Brian and his wife to take Juliet in while Candy went to California to visit her brother Mark, an out-of-work actor. Uncle Brian had a wife and children of his own, but he welcomed Juliet without hesitation. He was like a father to her, protective, wise, and steady.
While Candy was in California, Juliet barely heard from her. Eventually the call came from Uncle Mark that Candy was in the hospital and wouldn’t be coming back to Miami soon.
Juliet’s father was granted temporary custody, and Juliet moved to Coconut Grove to live with him. Shortly after Juliet’s father Larry divorced his second wife, he rented a two-bedroom apartment in One Grove Isle overlooking Biscayne Bay. That would become Juliet’s new home.
After Juliet’s father gained custody, they went straight to the ASPCA. At the shelter, Juliet couldn’t choose between two cats. One was an affectionate shiny black cat who jumped on Juliet’s shoulder. The other was a shy tabby who would need weeks of coaching. “Can I get both? Juliet asked Larry, looking up I’m at him with begging eyes. “Yes ok. But you are responsible for the litter box and feeding them.”
Juliet’s room in the new apartment was medium-sized, with two single beds covered in navy comforters printed with tiny white flowers. A white dresser and bookshelf stood opposite the windows, which overlooked Biscayne Bay.
“How do you like having your own room with a spectacular view?” Larry asked.
“It’s going to be good!” Juliet responded hopefully.
The apartment building’s lobby was grand, glass doors, marble floors and walls, and a doorman in uniform. Juliet’s father had hired a decorator who helped him choose a dark gray shag rug, a light gray corduroy sofa, and a chrome-and-glass entertainment center. Built-in white bookshelves surrounded the living room windows, filled with the latest bestsellers from authors like Lawrence Sanders, James Clavell, Jane Auel, and E.L. Doctorow. A stack of Time and Scientific American magazines sat neatly on a polyurethane coffee table Larry had designed himself and had produced in his boat yard. A large Miriam Webster dictionary and a game of scrabble sat nearby on the bookshelves.
Juliet stared at the books. “Have you read all these?” She asked her father.
Of course. He said. “What’s that one about? “ she asked pointing at Shogun. The thickest one she could find.
“It’s historical and very complex. It’s about Japan” Larry said blushing.
On the walls were two pieces of art from his second marriage. One was a large Piet Mondrian with blocks of color and lines and the other, a surreal painting of two elderly faceless people staring at each other. The dining room had a navy-blue accent wall behind more built-in bookshelves, where he kept Waterford crystal wine glasses and silver trophies.
“How did you win these trophies?” Juliet asked.
“Those are my top sales trophies from conferences I attended.” Larry boasted.
His bedroom was understated: a king-sized bed with a light tan cotton bedspread, a Ficus tree in the window, and double closets lined with a few Brooks Brothers suits, pressed button-down cotton shirts, windbreaker jackets in various lengths and colors, wingtip shoes with shoehorns in each pair, several pairs of worn-in Sperry Docksiders and Key West Kinos in three colors. His white rattan-fronted dresser was organized with precision. Socks in one drawer, boxers in another, T-shirts in the next, and polo shirts folded neatly in another. All organized by color. The orderliness of everything surprised Juliet as it was a departure from her life with her mother.
“You have your sox organized by color?” Juliet was surprised. “Yes. I like them that way.” Larry smiled. “Please don’t mess them up!” He said as he tussled Juliet’s hair.
They soon toured private schools, and Juliet chose the Vanguard school which had a relaxed dress code and a diverse student body. It was less than 2 miles to Larry’s apartment . Although her father drove her for the first couple of weeks, he’d soon show her how to navigate on foot or to catch the public transportation.
Over time, Juliet began to learn more about her father’s past. He grew up in Brooklyn, raised by an abusive mother. His much older siblings had left home early, and he often skipped school to hang around Coney Island, where he earned quarters by giving the carneys breaks from running the rides. At twelve, he built a boat and taught himself to sail. He became increasingly prone to getting in fights at school. After too many altercations, one involving the son of a mafia kingpin, he was sent to the military at age seventeen. After Korea, he got into sales, took night classes in business, and eventually found success in sales. He was divorced twice by the time fought for custody of Juliet. His father-in-law from his first marriage, Juliet’s grandfather, taught him about the luxury yacht business.
Juliet loved to explore Coconut Grove on foot, especially in the cooler months after school. On weekends, she went to Key largo where her father had bought bungalow on the water. The first thing he did was add a second story, build a dock, and buy a catamaran sailboat. They eventually got a motorboat too, which they used for water skiing and fishing. Juliet learned to sail a 12-foot Sunfish.
Starting at age 13, her father sometimes left her alone while he visited the keys with his girlfriends. That summer in 1980, Juliet hitchhiked to Westchester horse stables for lessons, but after too many unsettling experiences with older men picking her up, she stopped asking for rides and started asking her father to drive her or spent her allowance on a taxi.
Larry was one of the biggest Yacht brokers in Miami. His boatyard was on the Miami River and showed luxury yachts. 18 months after Larry gained temporary custody of Juliet, the phone calls from her mother Candy started.
“Juliet, It’s Mom. How have you been darling?”
“I’m fine, Mom. How are you? I haven’t heard from you.”
“I’m coming back to Miami soon Juliet and I want you to come live with me.” Candy sounded like she had been drinking.
“I’m ok with Dad. I’m fine.”
“Where are you going to school?” Candy asked
“I’m ok Mom. I like my school.”
“I asked you where?” Candy insisted.
“It’s a nice school in Coconut Grove.” Juliet said in a strained voice.
“I miss you darling. Your father is not hurting you, is he?” Candy asked.
“No mom. He’s not.”
“You would tell me if he hit you, wouldn’t you?” Candy asked.
“Yes. Of course.” Juliet responded
“Well, when I get back to Miami, we’ll get a nice apartment and live together. Doesn’t that sound nice?”
“ I’m ok here with Dad. You just take care of yourself. “
“I want you to live with me. Do you understand?!”
“Mom, I have to go. We’ll talk soon.”
“You just want to live with him because he has money. Don’t betray me, Jule.”
“Mom I won’t. I have to go.”
Goodbye Darling. We’ll see each other soon. Be very careful darling.” Her Mother said.
Juliet hung up the phone.
Later that night Juliet heard Larry come home. She had eaten dinner by herself again. Larry worked long hours.
“Hello, Darling. Are you ok? Did you have something to eat?” He yelled from the living room.”
“Yes, I had some leftovers.” She replied. “From the Chinese place we ate at on Sunday.”
“ Great. How was your day?”
“Ok. Mom called.”
There was a long silence.
“How’s your mother?” Larry asked.
“Well. She’s convinced you are abusing me or about to. She thinks you’re going to hit me. Why does she think that?” Juliet was inquisitive.
“Juliet. You have no obligation to talk to your mother and I’m not going to respond to any accusations from her. I would never hit you. I made the promise to myself and your mother when you were born. I’ve stuck to it haven’t I? “
“Yes. Ok. But did you ever hit her?” Juliet asked.
“I’m not going to answer that. “ Larry said and walked into his bedroom shutting the door.
The date for the final court hearing to grant permanent custody to Larry came very quickly. Larry sat Juliet down and explained she would have to speak to the judge about where she wanted to live.
On the day of the court hearing, Juliet dressed casually but her father put on a jacket over his polo shirt. Her father seemed confident and optimistic. “You mother screwed up Jules. You understand? You’re better off with me.” “I understand” Juliet said. She had a sick feeling in the bottom of her stomach. She dreaded seeing her Mother but wondered if they saw each other how would it feel? Would they have a chance to talk? Would they hug?”
“Dad, Am I going to talk to Mom?”
“I don’t know Jule. It’s up to the judge. “
They arrived at the courthouse and went up the wide grey steps, went through security and Juliet looked up at the elaborate carved wood ceiling. Her father hurried her into the elevators. “Don’t get scared, Jule. Just answer the judges questions.”
She thought in the car about the pros and cons of going back to her Mother as they drove to the courthouse. She couldn’t bear the thought of going back to her Mother.
As they entered the courtroom, Juliet got a glimpse of her mother in the front row wearing a large white wide brim hat and a white dress. She called out to Juliet loudly and waved. “Hello Juliet! Come say hello! It’s your mother.” Juliet’s father grabbed Juliet’s hand, and they were escorted by the bailiff to the judge’s chambers.
Once in the chambers, Juliet wished she were invisible. She feared having to go back out and face her Mother. The judge spoke to Larry and to Larry’s attorney.
“Mr. Reminis, you are going to have to wait outside. “
Larry left the room leaving Juliet with the judge and the family attorney.
Then the judge turned to Juliet.
“I’m just going to ask you a few questions. Please answer truthfully.
Has your mother ever hit you?
“Just once or twice on the rear. But honestly, I deserved it. Juliet said looking down. “ “That was when I was younger and I talked back to her. “
“Does she yell at you? The judge said looking down at his pad of paper. “Sometimes” . Juliet said. “Not too much.”
“What about your father. Does he yell at you? . Juliet hesitated. “He has but not recently.”
“Has your father ever hit you?” the judge stared at her.
“No never” Juliet said glancing up.
Have you ever seen your mother intoxicated? The Judge looked at Juliet in the eyes.
“Well, yes. Most of the time. “ she answered looking down.
“Who do you want to live with Juliet?” The judge asked his final question.
“My father.” Juliet did not hesitate.
The Judge said. “I’ve made my decision.”
Juliet stayed in the Chamber while the judge delivered the decision to the courtroom. Larry made sure Candy had left the courtroom before he walked out with Juliet. Once they returned to the apartment on Biscayne Bay, Juliet went to her room. Larry wanted to celebrate and called several people on the phone to tell them the news. Juliet looked out the window at her view of Biscayne Bay, pet her black cat, and cried.
